AU2004207265B2

AU2004207265B2 - Well packer inflation system and method of inflating same

Info

Publication number: AU2004207265B2
Application number: AU2004207265A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Robert Coon; Michael J. Naquin Sr.; Edward T. Wood
Original assignee: Baker Hughes Inc
Current assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
Priority date: 2003-01-29
Filing date: 2004-01-28
Publication date: 2009-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-28
Also published as: US20060289161A1; US20040188954A1; NO335165B1; US7325621B2; GB0601621D0; NO20140576L; GB2413140B; WO2004067905A2; GB2419912A; NO20053629L; CA2513629A1; US7178603B2; CA2513629C; WO2004067905A3; GB2419912B; GB0515012D0; NO20053629D0; US7481277B2; US20080053664A1; GB2413140A

Description

005162Q18 00 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ECP ELEMENT INFLATION UTILIZING SOLID LADEN FLUID MIXTURE ,l

C.)

o BACKGROUND During hydrocarbon exploration and production numerous different types of equipment are employed in the downhole environment. Often the particular formation or operation and parameters of the wellbore require isolation of one or more sections of a wellbore. This is generally done with expandable tubular devices including packers which are either mechanically expanded or fluidically N expanded. Fluidically expanded sealing members such as packers are known as inflatables.

Traditionally, inflatables are filled with fluids that remain fluid or fluids that are chemically converted to solids such as cement or epoxy. Fluid filled inflatables although popular and effective can suffer the drawback of becoming ineffective in the event of even a small puncture or tear.

Inflatables employing fluids chemically convertible to solids are also effective and popular, however, suffer the drawback that in an event of a spill significant damage can be done to the well since indeed the chemical reaction will take place, and the fluid substance will become solid regardless of where it lands. In addition, under certain circumstances during the chemical reaction between a fluid and a solid the converting material actually loses bulk volume. This must be taken into account and corrected or the inflatable element may not have sufficient pressure against the well casing or open hole formation to effectively create an annular seal. If the annular seal is not created, the inflatable element is not effective.

!0 Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is an expandable element which includes a base pipe, a screen disposed at the base pipe and an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of the base pipe and the screen.

Further disclosed herein is an annular seal system wherein the system uses a particle laden fluid and pump for this fluid. The system pumps the fluid into an expandable element.

Further disclosed herein is a method of creating a wellbore seal which includes pumping a solid laden fluid to an expandable element to pressurize and expand that element. Dehydrating the 005162Q18 00 solid laden fluid to leave substantially a solid constituent of the solid laden fluid in the expandable 0 element.

Further disclosed herein is an expandable element that includes an expandable material

O

which is permeable to a fluid constituent of a solid laden fluid delivered thereto while being impermeable to a solid constituent of the solid laden fluid.

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a seal element. The seal element includes a INO base pipe and a screen disposed at the base pipe positioned such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to the seal element is drainable radially to the base pipe. The seal element further includes a fluid permeable expandable material disposed radially outwardly of the base pipe and the screen.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a seal element comprising a base pipe; a screen disposed at said base pipe positioned such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to said seal element is drainable radially to said base pipe; an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of said base pipe and said screen; and an exit passage from said element having a check valve.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a seal system. The seal system includes a particle laden fluid having particulate matter coated with a material that bonds individual particles together over at least one of time, temperature, pressure, exposure to a chemical and combinations including at least one of the foregoing. The seal system further includes a pump !0 capable of pumping the particle laden fluid; and an expandable element which includes a base pipe; a screen disposed at the base pipe positioned such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to the seal element is drainable radially to the base pipe; and an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of the base pipe and the screen.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of creating a wellbore seal.

The method includes pumping a solid laden fluid to an expandable element. The solid laden fluid includes a particulate material coated with a substance that bonds individual particles over at least one of time, temperature, pressure, exposure to a chemical and combinations including at least one of the foregoing; pressurizing the element to expand the same; and dehydrating the solid laden fluid in the expandable element leaving substantially only a solid constituent of the solid laden fluid.

The method includes pumping solid laden fluid to an expandable element, the solid laden fluid 005162018 00 having particulate material and a fluid, the particulate being less dense than the fluid. The method further includes pressurizing said element to expand the same; and dehydrating the solid laden fluid in the expandable element leaving substantially only a solid constituent of the solid O laden fluid.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided an expandable element. The expandable element includes a base pipe; and a material disposed at the base pipe capable of being INO expandable to a larger diametrical dimension and being permeable to a fluid constituent of a

(N

solid laden fluid employed to expand the material while being impermeable to a solid constituent I of the solid laden fluid.

S0 In another aspect of the invention there is provided a seal element. The seal element includes a substantially blank base pipe having a fluid exit passage solely at a downhole end of the pipe, the end being at an end of the elements. The seal element further includes a screen disposed radially of the base pipe such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to the seal element is drainable radially to a surface of the base pipe and moveable there along until draining through the fluid exit passage; and an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of and substantially coaxially aligned with the base pipe and the screen such that a radii orthogonal to a common axis of each of the expandable material, the screen and the base pipe intersects each of the expandable material, the screen and the base pipe.

!0 The method includes pumping a solid laden fluid to an expandable element including a base pipe having a fluid exit passage solely at a downhole end of the pipe, the end being at an end of the element, a screen and an expandable material. The method further includes pressurizing the element to expand the same; and dehydrating the solid laden fluid in the expandable element leaving substantially only a solid constituent of the solid laden fluid, the fluid moving radially through the screen, longitudinally along a surface of the base pipe and then through the fluid exit passage.

As used herein, the term "comprise" and variations of the term, such as "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

005162818 oo BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ri The figures illustrate a preferred form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several figures: Figure 1 is a schematic quarter section view of an inflatable element; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a device of Figure partially inflated; \O ~Figure 2 is a schematic ilustrationew of the device of Figure 1 fupartially inflated; (,i Figure 3 is a schematic view of the device of Figure 1 fully inflated; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment where fluid is exited into the annulus of the wellbore; Figure 5 illustrates a similar device for fluid from a slurry is returned to surface rather than exhausted downhole; and Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment where the inflatable element is permeable to the fluid constituent of the slurry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In order to avoid the drawbacks of the prior art, it is disclosed herein that an inflatable or expandable element may be expanded and maintained in an expanded condition thereby creating a positive seal by employing a slurry of a fluidic material entraining particulate matter and employing the slurry to inflate/expand an element. The fluidic material component of the slurry would then be exhausted from the slurry leaving only particulate matter within the element. This can be done in such a way that the element is maintained in a seal configuration by grain-to-grain contact between the particles and areas bounded by material not permeable to the particulate matter. A large amount of pressure can be exerted against the borehole wall whether it be casing or open hole. As desired, pressure exerted may be such as to elastically or even plastically expand the borehole in which the device is installed. A plurality of WO 2004/067905 PCT/US2004/002265 embodiments are schematically illustrated by the above-identified drawings which are referenced hereunder.

Referring to Figure 1, the expandable device 10 is illustrated schematically within a wellbore 12. It is important to note that the drawing is schematic and as depicted, this device is not connected to any other device by tubing or otherwise although in practice it would be connected to other tubing on at least one end thereof.

The device includes a base pipe 14 on which is mounted a screen 16 spaced from the base pipe by an amount sufficient to facilitate the drainoff of a fluidic component of the slurry. A ring 20 is mounted to base pipe 14 to space screen 16 from base pipe 14 and to prevent ingress and egress of fluid to space 22 but for through screen 16. For purposes of explanation this is illustrated at the uphole end of the depicted configuration but could exist on the downhole end thereof or could be between the uphole and downhole end if particular conditions dictated but this would require drain off in two directions and would be more complex. An exit passage 24 is also provided through base pipe 14 for the exit of fluidic material that is drained off through screen 16 toward base pipe 14. In this embodiment, the fluid exit passage is at the downhole end of the tool. The fluid exit passage 24 could be located anywhere along base pipe 14 but may provide better packing of the downhole end of the device if it is positioned as illustrated in this embodiment. At the downhole end of screen 16 the screen is connected to end means 26. Downhole end means 26 and uphole end means 28 support the expandable element 30 as illustrated. As can be ascertained from drawing Figure 1, a defined area 32 is provided between screen 16 and element The defined area 32 is provided with an entrance passageway 34 and a check valve 36 through which slurry may enter the defined area 32.

Figure 4 is an alternate embodiment where the fluidic substance 38 of slurry 18 is not dumped to the I.D. of the base pipe 14, but rather is dumped to the annulus 42 of the borehole 12. The escape passage 44 is illustrated at the uphole end of the device however could be at the downhole end of the device as well. Other components are as they were discussed in Figure 1.

The slurry comprises a fluidic component comprising one or more fluid types and a particulate component comprising one or more particulate types. Particulates may include gravel, sand, beads, grit, etc. and the fluidic components may include WO 2004/067905 PCTIUS2004/002265 water, drilling mud, or other fluidic substances or any other solid that may be entrained with a fluid to be transported downhole. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that the density of the particulate material versus the fluid carrying the particulate may be adjusted for different conditions such as whether the wellbore is horizontal or vertical. If a horizontal bore is to be sealed it is beneficial that the density of the particulate be less than that of the fluid and in a vertical well that the density of the particulate be more than the fluid. The specific densities of these materials may be adjusted anywhere in between the examples given as well.

In one embodiment the particulate material is coated with a material that causes bonding between the particles. The bonding may occur over time, temperature, pressure, exposure to other chemicals or combinations of parameters including at least one of the foregoing. In one example the particulate material is a resin or epoxy coated sand commercially available under the tradename

SUPERSAND.

Slurry 18 is introducible to the seal device through entrance passageway 34 past check valve 36 into defined area 32 where the slurry will begin to be dehydrated through screen 16. More particularly, screen 16 is configured to prevent through passage of the particulate component of slurry 18 but allow through passage of the fluidic component(s) of slurry 18. As slurry 18 is pumped into defined area 32, the particulate component thereof being left in the defined area 32 begins to expand the expandable element 30 due to pressure caused first by fluid and then by grain-to-grain contact of the particulate matter and packing of that particulate matter due to flow of the slurry. The action just described is illustrated in Figure 2 wherein one will appreciate the flow of fluidic components through screen 16 while the particulate component is left in the defined area 32 and is in the Figure 2 illustration, expanding expandable element 30 toward borehole wall 12. Slurry will continue to be pumped until as is illustrated in Figure 3 there is significant grain-to-grain loading throughout the entirety of defined area 32 of the particulate matter such that the expandable element 30 is urged against borehole wall 12 to create a seal thereagainst. Grain-tograin loading causes a reliable sealing force against the borehole which does not change with temperature or pressure. In addition, since the slurry employed herein is WO 2004/067905 PCT/US2004/002265 not a hardening slurry there is very little chance of damage to the wellbore in the event that the slurry is spilled.

In the embodiment just discussed, the exiting fluidic component of the slurry is simply dumped into the tubing downhole of the element and allowed to dissipate into the wellbore. In the embodiment of Figure 5, (referring thereto) the exiting fluidic component is returned to an uphole location through the annulus in the wellbore created by the tubing string connected to the annular seal. This is schematically illustrated with Figure 5. Having been exposed to Figures 1-3, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the distinction of Figure 5 and the movement of the fluidic material up through an intermediate annular configuration 40 and out into the well annulus 42 for return to the surface or other remote location. In other respects, the element considered in Figure 5 is very similar to that considered in Figure 1 and therefore the numerals utilized to identify components of Figure 1 are translocated to Figure 5. The exiting fluid is illustrated as numeral 38 in this embodiment the tubing string is plugged below the annular seal element such as schematically illustrated at 44. Turning now to Figure 6, an alternate embodiment of the seal device is illustrated which does not require a screen. In this embodiment the element 130 itself is permeable to the fluidic component of the slurry 18. As such, slurry 18 may be pumped down base pipe 14 from a remote location and forced out slurry passageway 132 into element 130. Upon pushing slurry into a space defined by base pipe 14 and element 130, the fluid component(s) of slurry 18 are bled off through element 130 leaving behind the particulate component thereof. Upon sufficient introduction of slurry 18, element 130 will be pressed into borehole wall 12 for an effective seal as is the case in the foregoing embodiments.

In each of the embodiments discussed hereinabove a method to seal a borehole includes introducing the slurry to an element which is expandable, dehydrating that slurry while leaving the particulate matter of the slurry in a defined area radially inwardly of an expandable element, in a manner sufficient to cause the element to expand against a borehole wall and seal thereagainst. The method comprises pumping sufficient slurry into the defined area to cause grain-to-grain loading of the particulate component of the slurry to prevent the movement of the expandable WO 2004/067905 PCTIUS2004/002265 element away from the borehole wall which would otherwise reduce effectiveness of the seal.

It will further be appreciated by those of skill in the art that elements having a controlled varying modulus of elasticity may be employed in each of the embodiments hereof to cause the element to expand from one end to the other, from the center outward, from the ends inward or any other desirable progression of expansion.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.

Claims

4. A seal element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said screen and said expandable element define an area into which a slurry is accepted and a particulate constituent of said slurry is retained.
5. A seal element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said element further includes a check valve configured to prevent backflow of a slurry.
6. A seal element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said element includes a slurry entrance passage and said entrance passage includes a check valve.
7. A seal element comprising: a base pipe; a screen disposed at said base pipe positioned such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to said seal element is drainable radially to said base pipe; an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of said base pipe and said screen; and an exit passage from said element having a check valve.
8. A seal system comprising: a particle laden fluid having particulate matter coated with a material that bonds individual particles together over at least one of time, temperature, pressure, exposure to a chemical and combinations including at least one of the foregoing; a pump capable of pumping said particle laden fluid; 00 an expandable element including: Sa base pipe; Ua screen disposed at said base pipe positioned such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to said seal element is drainable radially to said base pipe; and an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of said base pipe and said INO screen.
9. A seal system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said chemical is positioned at said expandable element. 0 10. A seal system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said expandable material is progressively expandable.
11. A method of creating a wellbore seal comprising: pumping a solid laden fluid to an expandable element, said solid laden fluid including a particulate material coated with a substance that bonds individual particles over at least one of time, temperature, pressure, exposure to a chemical and combinations including at least one of the foregoing; pressurizing said element to expand the same; and dehydrating said solid laden fluid in said expandable element leaving substantially only a solid constituent of said solid laden fluid.
12. A method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said dehydrating comprises draining a fluid constituent of said solid laden fluid through said element.
13. A method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said method includes elastically expanding the wellbore.
14. A method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said method includes plastically expanding the wellbore. A method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 11 wherein said solid laden fluid includes particulate material and a fluid and said particulate is more dense than said fluid.
16. An expandable element comprising: a base pipe; a material disposed at said base pipe capable of being expandable to a larger diametrical oO S dimension and being permeable to a fluid constituent of a solid laden fluid employed to expand S said material while being impermeable to a solid constituent of said solid laden fluid.
17. A method of creating a wellbore seal comprising: N 5 pumping solid laden fluid, having particulate material and a fluid said particulate being less dense than said fluid, to an expandable element; V) INO pressurizing said element to expand the same; and (N dehydrating said solid laden fluid in said expandable element leaving substantially only a solid constituent of said solid laden fluid. 0 18. The method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 17 wherein said dehydrating comprises draining a fluid constituent of said solid laden fluid through said element.
19. The method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 17 wherein said method includes elastically expanding the wellbore. The method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 17 wherein said method includes plastically expanding the wellbore.
21. A seal element comprising: a substantially blank base pipe having a fluid exit passage solely at a downhole end of the pipe, the end being at an end of the element; a screen disposed radially of the base pipe such that a fluidic component of a solid laden fluid introducible to the seal element is drainable radially to a surface of the base pipe and moveable there along until draining through the fluid exit passage; and an expandable material disposed radially outwardly of and substantially coaxially aligned with the base pipe and the screen such that a radii orthogonal to a common axis of each of the expandable material, the screen and the base pipe intersects each of the expandable material, the screen and the base pipe.
22. The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the expandable material is progressively expandable.
23. The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the expandable material is fluid impermeable. I 005162018 00 24. The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the screen is configured to allow 0 passage of a fluid constituent of a slurry while impeding passage of a solid constituent of the o slurry. O The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the screen and the expandable element define an area into which a slurry is accepted and a particulate constituent of the slurry is retained. I 26. The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the element is maintained in an (N expanded condition by grain-to-grain contact of a solid constituent of the slurry.
27. The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the screen is spaced from the base pipe to facilitate fluid drain off.
28. The seal element as claimed in claim 21 wherein the entrance passage includes a check valve.
29. A method of creating a wellbore seal comprising: pumping a solid laden fluid to an expandable element including a base pipe having a fluid exit passage solely at a downhole end of the pipe, the end being at an end of the element, a screen and an expandable material; pressurizing the element to expand the same; and dehydrating the solid laden fluid in the expandable element leaving substantially only a solid constituent of the solid laden fluid, the fluid moving radially through the screen, longitudinally along a surface of the base pipe and then through the fluid exit passage. The method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 29 wherein the method includes elastically expanding the wellbore.
31. The method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 29 wherein the method includes plastically expanding the wellbore.
32. The method of creating a wellbore seal as claimed in claim 29 wherein the solid laden fluid includes particulate material and a fluid and the particulate is more dense than the fluid.